HealthData.gov

 

Overview
Data hub for the Department of Health and Human Services. Link

Components
Data Warehouse

Population
US population

Cost
$0

Clearance?
No. There isn’t an additional clearance step.

Years Available
Varies

 Linked Datasets
No

Study Type
Varies

File Types
CSV, Excel xls files

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Main Variables:

Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)

Overview
Set of databases concerning: hospital inpatient and emergency department utilization. Link/Data

Components

  • Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS)
  • Nationwide Emergency Dept Sample (NEDS)
  • Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID)
  • State Inpatient Databases (SID)

Population
US population. Discharge level patients from hospitals, ambulatory surgery,  and ERs

Cost
$50 dollars per year for most recent years. $20 per year for previous years. (students)

Clearance?
Data Usage Agreement

Years Available
2001-2016

Linked Datasets
Yes. Varies by dataset.

Study Type
Surveillance

File Types
ASCII
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Main Variables:

Intergrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)

IPUMS

Overview
A data warehouse created and managed by the Minnesota Population Center. IPUMS contains population and census data from the United States and 238 countries. Link

Use this service to order census data that is relevant to your research.

Components

  • IPUMS- International
  • IPUMS- USA
  • IPUMS- CPS
  • North Atlantic Population Project
  • National Historical Geographic Information System
  • Integrated Health Interview Series
  • American Time Use Survey-X

Population
US population, International

Cost
$0

Clearance?
Yes. Register with the Minnesota Population Center. For International data, researchers must provide a description of research, institutional affiliation, etc.

Years Available 
US Census data – 1850- present
International census data – 1960- present

Study Type
Data Warehouse

File Types
ASCII, SPSS, SAS, Stata syntax files provided

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Main Variables:

International Social Survey Programme (ISSP)

isspOverview
An annual cross-national survey covering social science topics. A new topic is featured each year, but certain topics have been repeated such as Role of the Government, Religion, Environment, Family and Changing Gender Roles. Link

Population
International

Cost
$0. Customized data sets can be purchased.

Clearance?
Yes. Register with the GESIS- Data Archive for the Social Sciences

Years Available
1985-2016

Study Types
Survey

Data Type
Stata, SPSS

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Main Variables:

Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)

Overview
Inter-University partnership focused on social science research. Link

Components
Data Warehouse

Population
US, International

Cost
$0

Clearance?
Yes. For some restricted data. Agreement Request System (IDARS), IRB approval, data use agreement, investigator information, description, information on data formats, data storage.

Years Available
Varies

Study Type
Varies by dataset

File Types
ASCII, SAS, SPSS, Stata
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Main Variables:

Longitudinal Studies of Aging (LSOA)


Overview
A multi-cohort study of persons 70+ years of age designed primarily to measure changes in the health, functional status, living arrangements, and health services utilization of older Americans. Link

Components

  • The 1984 Supplement on Aging (SOA)
  • The 1984-1990 Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA)
  • The 1994 Second Supplement on Aging (SOA II)
  • The 1994-2000 Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA II)

Population
US population. 70+ years of age

Cost
$0

Clearance?
No. There isn’t an additional clearance step.

Years Available
1984-2000

Linked Datasets
LSOA II- Mortality, LSOA II- SSA, LSOA II- Medicare: 1994-2000

Study Type
Longitudinal

File Types
ASCII, CD-ROM
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Main Variables:

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Overview
National estimates of health care use and spending, insurance, accessibility of care. Link/Data

Components

  • Household
  • Insurance
  • Medical Provider component

Population
US Families and individuals, Employers, Medical Providers (physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, etc.)

Cost
$0

Clearance?
No. There isn’t an additional clearance step.

Years Available
1996-2017

Linked Datasets
No

Study Type
Survey

File Types
ASCII, SAS transport file
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Main Variables:

Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS)

Overview
To determine  expenditures and sources of payment for all services used by Medicare beneficiaries. Link/Data

Components

  • Access to Care
  • Cost and Use

Population
US, 65+ years old

Cost
$600 per module per year

Clearance?
Yes. Request to ResDAC (Research Data Assistant Center), Data Use Agreement, funding information, study abstract.

Years Available
1992-2016

Linked Datasets
No

Study Type
Survey

File Types
ASCII
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Main Variables:

Epi Info

Epi Info is a tool for data collection, analysis, visualization, and reporting using epidemiologic methods. 

Latest Version: Epi Info 7.1.1.14 | Developer: CDC

RSPH Citrix: Yes | License Required: Free | Student Version: N/A

[Available in the WHSC Library Specialized Software Lab.]

Style: Menus

Windows: Yes | Mac: Yes

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Online Resources:

Epi Info user guide by CDC, Epi Info

Epi Info tutorials by CDC, Epi Info

Epi Info version 7 Quick Start guide by phConnect

Epi Info training slides by Harold Collins, phConnect

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Books:

Epi Info and OpenEpi in Epidemiology and Clinical Medicine: Health Applications of Free Software (ISBN: 978-1449538910)  |  Andrew G. Dean, Kevin M. Sullivan, and Minn Minn Soe/CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform [Available for use in the WHSC Library Specialized Software Lab.]

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Suggestions for other useful Epi Info resources? Please leave a comment.

Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (HOS)

Overview
National study designed to gather data on health status for Medicare Advantage program.Link

Population
US population, 65+ years old

Cost
Varies. Based on level of access one needs. Limited Data Sets and Research Identifiable Files are available for request through ResDac (Research Data Assistant Center). $200 per cohort for Limited Data Sets.

Clearance?
Yes. Request to ResDAC, Data Use Agreement, funding information, study abstract. For Limited Data Sets and Research Identifiable Files, detailed instructions are available though ResDac (Research Data Assistant Center).

Years Available
1998-2013

Linked Datasets
Yes. SEER – MHOS linked data set

Study Type
Survey

File Types
ASCII, SAS
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Main Variables: